The present invention relates to a combined device with cooking surface and fume extractor.
In kitchens it is known to use so-called downdraft fans instead of fume extractor hoods which are arranged above a cooking surface, for example on the room wall or ceiling, in order to extract fumes and vapors which are produced during cooking. Such downdraft ventilation is disclosed, for example, in DE 10 2013 007 722 A1. In this case, a cooking vapor inlet opening placed in the cooking surface plane is connected via an exhaust air channel system to a vacuum source. The downdraft ventilation in this case is provided as a separate appliance between two cooking surfaces or adjacent to a cooking surface. A drawback with this downdraft ventilation is in the large space requirement which is present due to the exhaust air channel system to be provided. Additionally, in this case the space between the inlet opening and the vacuum source is large so that increased requirements are set for the vacuum source which, in particular, may be constituted by a suction fan.
A cooking surface with central extraction of cooking fumes in the downward direction is also disclosed in WO 2012/146237 A1. In this cooking surface, one or more recesses is or are incorporated in the region around the geometric surface center of gravity. Devices are provided underneath the cooking surface for the extraction of cooking fumes. The devices for the extraction of cooking fumes are preferably constituted by radial fans which are fastened to the lower face of a cooking surface housing and via which air is extracted upwardly out of cooking fume extraction chambers located thereunder.
A drawback with this arrangement is that the requirements for radial fans for producing a sufficient vacuum are increased, in particular, since the flow of cooking fumes has to be deflected.
It is, therefore, the object of the present invention to provide a combined device in which fumes and vapors may be extracted from the space above the cooking surface in a simple and reliable manner with a preferably simple construction of the combined device.
The invention is based on the recognition that this object may be achieved by the fan of the fume extractor being arranged in a combined device, such that said fan is located directly underneath a recess in the cooking surface and that it is possible for air to flow into the air inlet opening of the fan as directly as possible from above.
According to the invention, therefore, the object is achieved by a combined device which comprises a cooking surface having at least one recess and a fume extractor arranged underneath the cooking surface in order to extract air from the space above the cooking surface via the at least one recess. The combined device is characterized in that the fume extractor has a fan with an air inlet opening, the fan being arranged in the combined device such that the air inlet opening of the fan faces the cooking surface, in the top view of the cooking surface the air inlet opening of the fan being located at least partially underneath at least one of the at least one recess and the fume extractor and the cooking surface form an assembly unit.
The combined device according to the invention comprises a cooking surface and a fume extractor. In particular, these two components of the combined device are designed as an assembly unit, in other words a structural unit. This means that the two components of the combined device are fastened indirectly or directly and may be installed as an assembly unit, for example, in a work surface. The combined device thus constitutes an assembled or premounted unit or a unit which is able to be premounted.
The cooking surface according to the invention comprises at least one heating element and preferably a cover plate. The cover plate covers the at least one heating element from above. The size of the heating element or the working radius thereof determines the size of the cooking zone or cooking point in the cooking surface on which pots or other cooking vessels may be placed in order to be heated. The heating element may be constituted, for example, by an induction module. Alternatively, however, the heating element may also be an electronic heating element in the form of a heating coil. Finally, it is also possible that at least one of the heating elements of the cooking surface is constituted by a gas burner. In the last-mentioned embodiment the cover plate does not cover the heating element but at the location of the heating element the cover plate comprises a through-opening for the passage of the burner head.
According to the invention, the fume extractor comprises a fan and preferably additionally an air duct for conducting the air out of the combined device after it has exited the fan.
According to the invention, at least one recess is provided in the cooking surface. The recess may preferably be incorporated in the cover plate of the cooking surface. However, it is also within the scope of the invention that the recess or the recesses is or are formed by the intermediate space between adjacent heating elements of the cooking surface and a cover plate is not provided but, for example, simply a frame for the heating elements. Additionally, it is possible that outside the cover plate the cooking surface has a housing in which the heating elements are received. In this embodiment, the at least one recess is preferably incorporated in the upper face and the lower face of the housing of the cooking surface.
The fume extractor according to the invention is arranged underneath the cooking surface. “Arranged underneath the cooking surface” denotes a fume extractor in which at least one part of the fan of the fume extractor is located further down than the lowest point of the cooking surface. In any case, however, the fume extractor is arranged underneath the upper face of the cooking surface. If the upper face of the cooking surface, as preferred according to the invention, is formed by a cover plate, the fume extractor is arranged underneath the cover plate. The fan of the fume extractor may be arranged, for example, between two heating elements of the cooking surface or completely offset downwardly relative to the heating elements.
Directional information such as “above” and “underneath” refer to the combined device in the assembled and installed state, i.e. in the state in which said combined device is incorporated, for example, in a horizontal work surface.
The air from the space above the cooking surface and, in particular, fumes and vapors which are produced during cooking, according to the invention are extracted via the at least one recess of the cooking surface. The recess in the cooking surface in this case may be the suction opening of the combined device. The “suction opening of the combined device” in this case denotes the opening via which air enters the interior of the combined device.
According to the invention, the fume extractor of the combined device comprises a fan. The fan which also may be denoted as the fan or suction fan, preferably comprises a fan housing which is designed, for example, as a spiral housing or worm housing and is also denoted as a fan housing. A fan wheel is received in the fan housing, said fan wheel being driven via a motor which is also received in the fan housing. The fan housing has an air inlet opening via which suctioned air is able to pass toward the fan wheel. Moreover, the fan housing has an air outlet opening via which air may be discharged radially into a discharge channel or directly out of the combined device. In a fan which is also constituted by a radial fan, the air inlet opening is preferably located in the region of the axis of the fan wheel.
According to the invention, the fan is arranged in the combined device such that the air inlet opening of the fan, and in particular of the fan housing, faces the cooking surface. “Faces the cooking surface” denotes an air inlet opening via which air may be suctioned from above into the fan and thus the fan housing. In particular, “faces the cooking surface” thus denotes an air inlet opening which is located on the fan and thus above the fan housing. Preferably, the air inlet opening is parallel to the cooking surface and, in particular, to a cover plate of the cooking surface. In this case, the air inlet opening is thus located in the horizontal plane and is oriented upwardly. However, an air inlet opening on the upper face of the fan which is inclined relative to the horizontal may also be regarded as facing the cooking surface. The angle of inclination in this case, however, is preferably less than 90° and further preferably less than 45°.
According to the invention, in a top view of the cooking surface the air inlet opening of the fan is located at least partially underneath at least one of the at least one recess. This means that in a vertical projection of the recess of the fan located thereunder, the air inlet opening of the fan is located at least partially in the surface of the recess. By this alignment, the flow path of the air suctioned via the recess to the air inlet opening is minimized and a sufficient extraction of air from the space above the cooking surface may be ensured.
According to the invention it is possible, in addition to the one fan which is arranged underneath the recess, to provide one or more additional fans, for example in the edge regions of the cooking surface. With a suitable layout of the fan arranged underneath the recess, however, additional fans are not necessarily required.
Since according to the invention a combined device is provided in which a fan which is arranged underneath the recess is used, the air inlet opening thereof facing the cooking surface, a series of advantages may be achieved. Since the air inlet opening faces the cooking surface, firstly the suctioning of air via the recess(es) in the cooking surface may be simplified. In particular, only a slight deflection of the air flow is required. Thus, the requirements for the power of the fan are reduced. Additionally, by the alignment of the fan with an upwardly facing air inlet opening, the size of the fan may be selected irrespective of the size of the heating elements or the housing of the cooking surface. The fan may be fastened to the side of the fan housing which opposes the air inlet opening. In contrast to the prior art in which the fans are fastened on the side opposing the air inlet opening to the lower face of the housing of the heating element, in the combined device according to the invention therefore a larger fan may also be used. The fan in this case may be fastened, for example, to the base of an appliance housing of the combined device, the surface thereof generally corresponding to the surface of the cooking surface. Additionally, according to the invention it is also possible to fasten the fan to the cooking surface, in particular to the lower face of the cooking surface and, in particular, a lower face of a cooking surface housing, via the same side in which the air inlet opening is provided in a region around the air inlet opening. Also in this embodiment, since the air inlet opening of the fan faces the cooking surface, i.e. is oriented upwardly, the size of the fan may be selected to be large and the fan may be fastened, for example, underneath two heating elements which are located on opposing sides of the recess. Thus a potentially larger fan may also produce the desired airflow at a lower speed and the noise development of the fan is also therefore reduced.
According to the invention since the cooking surface and the fume extractor are also integrated in one appliance, and thus form an assembly unit, the mounting and/or the installation is simplified. In particular, the cooking surface and the fume extractor may be incorporated and optionally received as a unit in a work surface or other surface. Moreover, by the integration of the two components in a combined device the required overall height is reduced since the elements of the components may be provided to be aligned relative to one another in the combined device. The overall height of the combined device according to the invention may, for example, be 15 to 30 cm and preferably 20 cm. Thus the combined device may be integrated in a simple manner in a kitchen.
According to a preferred embodiment, in a vertical top view of the cooking surface, the entire air inlet opening is located underneath the recess, i.e. in the surface of the recess. If a plurality of recesses are provided in the cooking surface, in a vertical top view, the fan may be located underneath one of the recesses or even underneath a plurality of recesses. Hereinafter, reference is substantially made to an embodiment having one recess in the cooking surface. If nothing else is specified, the statements made also apply to an embodiment of the combined device with a plurality of recesses. Since, in a vertical top view of the cooking surface, the air inlet opening is located entirely in the surface of the recess, the extraction of air may be further optimized.
According to a preferred embodiment, the fan is arranged in the middle of the surface of the combined device. The middle of the surface of the combined device, in this case, is understood as the middle of the surface which covers the combined device in a top view. In particular, therefore, the fan according to the invention is arranged at a point which is located underneath the middle of the surface of the upper face of the cooking surface and, in particular, underneath the middle of the surface of the cover plate of the cooking surface. By the central arrangement of the fan in the combined device, a uniform extraction of air may be ensured. Also in the case of one or more recesses which are incorporated in the surface of the cooking surface, for example in the middle of the surface or adjacent thereto, a reliable and uniform extraction may be implemented via a centrally arranged housing. Additionally, with a central arrangement of the fan, the required overall height for the combined device may be minimized. Generally, no heating elements are provided in the middle region of the cooking surface, said heating elements generally extending from the upper face of the cooking surface, in particular downwardly from a cover plate, and thus making use of part of the space in the combined device. Thus with a centrally arranged fan, the entire space between the upper face of the cooking surface and the lower face of the combined device is available for receiving the fan and the optionally provided filter units.
According to a further preferred embodiment, at least one of the at least one recess extends over the middle of the surface of the cooking surface. In one embodiment, in this case a single recess may be incorporated in the cooking surface. This recess may, for example, have a round cross section. Alternatively, however, the recess in this embodiment may also have a quadrangular, in particular rectangular, cross section for example. In this case, the recess may be a square recess in the middle of the surface of the cooking surface. Preferably, however, the recess in this embodiment extends over the depth of the cooking surface, i.e. it forms a wide slot which extends from the region of the front face of the cooking surface in the direction toward the region of the rear face of the cooking surface. By the provision of a recess which extends over the middle of the surface of the cooking surface, an alignment of the recess may be ensured relative to the cooking zone(s) of the cooking surface in which fumes and vapors from cooking vessels on the cooking zone(s) of the cooking surface may be reliably extracted. If, for example, four cooking zones are formed in the cooking surface, two cooking zones may be located to the right and two cooking zones may be located to the left from a centrally incorporated recess extending over the depth of the cooking surface. Since the fan and, in particular, the upwardly oriented air inlet opening of the fan housing, in a vertical top view of a recess extending above the middle of the surface of the cooking surface, is located at least partially in the recess, the air guidance is further simplified, since a deflection of the airflow is not required and/or just a slight deflection of the airflow is sufficient in order to guide the air toward the air inlet opening.
According to one embodiment, the combined device comprises at least one cover for covering at least one part of the at least one recess. The shape of the cover is adapted to the shape of the recess in the cooking surface. In the case of a round recess, generally a round cover is used. With a rectangular recess in the cooking surface, preferably a rectangular cover is used.
The cover is preferably releasable from the combined device, in particular removable from the cooking surface or a filter unit.
The size of the cover may correspond to the size of the recess. In this case, the ingress of liquids and other contaminants into the recess(es), in the state in which the fume extractor is not in operation, is entirely prevented by the cover.
According to a preferred embodiment, however, at least in one surface direction the cover has a smaller dimension than the recess of the cooking surface. The “surface direction” in this case denotes the length and width of a quadrangular cover and the diameter in the case of a round cover. Since the cover has a smaller dimension in at least one surface direction, at least one gap is formed between the edge of the recess and the edge of the cover. Air may be suctioned via this gap into the combined device. The gap thus constitutes the suction opening of the combined device. At the same time, however, at least one part of the recess is covered by the cover and thus contaminants are prevented from dropping in and the ingress of liquids into the combined device is prevented. In particular, with the arrangement of the fan according to the invention and the recess preferably arranged above the air inlet opening, the prevention of the ingress of contaminants and liquids is of particular importance. Without a cover, the direct ingress of contaminants and liquids from the recess into the air inlet opening of the fan located thereunder might be possible, whereby the fan might be damaged.
According to one embodiment, for example in the case of an elongated quadrangular cross section of the recess, the length of the cover may correspond to the length of the recess but the width of the cover may be smaller than the width of the recess. Depending on the positioning of the cover on the recess, on the one hand, a single lateral gap may be formed via which air may enter the combined device. Alternatively, however, two lateral gaps which extend over the length of the recess may also be formed. The last-mentioned embodiment is preferred, in particular in the preferred embodiment in which a recess extends over the middle of the surface of the cooking surface, since as a result a specific extraction is possible from the left-hand and right-hand cooking zones. The embodiment in which only one gap is formed may be used, for example, in an embodiment in which recesses extend along the side edges of the cooking surface in the depth direction. In this case, the cover is positioned on the recess such that the gap formed thereby is located on the side of the recess which adjoins the cooking zones or is in the vicinity thereof.
According to the invention, however, it is also possible that the cover has dimensions which differ in all surface directions from the dimensions of the recess onto which the cover is intended to be applied. For example, a round cover may be used which has a smaller diameter than the diameter of a round recess onto which the cover is intended to be applied. Even with a rectangular cover, both the width and the length of the cover may be smaller than the corresponding dimensions of the recess. As a result, a peripheral gap is formed around the cover, air being able to enter the recess through said gap.
According to a preferred embodiment, a filter unit is provided between the fan of the fume extractor and the cooking surface. The filter unit is located, in particular, between the at least one recess of the cooking surface and the air inlet opening of the fan. “The filter unit” in this case denotes a unit which is releasably connected to the combined device. In particular, the filter unit is introduced into the recess or the filter units are introduced into the recesses. The filter unit may be held on the recess, preferably on the edge of the recess. The filter unit in this case is practically suspended in the recess. According to the invention, the filter unit comprises a filter element. Additionally, the filter unit preferably comprises at least one filter holder by means of which the filter element may be held on the combined device, for example on the recess of the cooking surface. The filter element may be a flat filter element, for example a filter plate or a filter mat.
Alternatively or additionally, however, filter elements which describe a hollow body may also be used. For example, a round length of pipe or a rectangular length of pipe made of filter material may be used. Also other shapes, such as for example two filter elements arranged so as to be inclined to one another, may be used in the filter unit.
The filter material of the filter element may be expanded metal, braided metal or the like.
According to a preferred embodiment, the filter unit comprises a collection area for liquids. “Collection area for liquids” denotes a region in which liquids, which are discharged from the filter element and/or enter the interior of the combined device in a different manner, may be at least partially collected. The collection area, therefore, preferably has the shape of a trough or groove. Particularly preferably, the collection area is configured on the filter holder. The filter element is held via the filter holder on the combined device, in particular on the recess in the cooking surface. Since the collection area is configured on the filter holder, a series of advantages may be achieved. Firstly, the filter unit is releasably incorporated in the combined device. Thus when removing the filter unit, for example for cleaning the filter element, the collection area may also be emptied and cleaned. Additionally, when providing the collection area in the filter holder and thus in the vicinity of the filter element, liquids and other contaminants may be reliably collected from the filter element itself.
The embodiment in which the filter unit comprises a collection area for liquids is of particular importance in the arrangement of the fan according to the invention underneath the recess. Even if, as preferably provided, a cover covers at least part of the recess, it may also result in the ingress of contaminants and, in particular, liquids via the gap present between the cover and the recess. By the provision of a collection area on the filter unit, the ingress into the fan housing of contaminants and liquids which enter the combined device via this gap, is prevented. For this reason, the collection area is preferably provided on the filter unit such that in a vertical projection said collection area is located at least underneath the gap between the recess and the cover, in the incorporated state of the filter unit in the combined device and when the cover is applied.
According to a further preferred embodiment, the combined device comprises an overflow container in addition to a collection area for liquids. “Overflow container” denotes a component into which liquids which overflow from the collection container may be received. The overflow container is, therefore, preferably arranged at least partially underneath the filter unit and preferably underneath the collection area of the filter unit. The overflow container may be fixedly connected to the combined device, i.e. constitute a fixed housing part. The overflow container may be fastened, for example, to the lower face of the cover plate of the cooking surface, to the heating elements of the cooking surface, to the fan housing or to the recess of the cooking surface. In the embodiment in which the combined device comprises an overflow container, at least one overflow opening may be provided in the filter element in the upper region of the collection area. Alternatively, however, it is also possible that the collection area has an upper edge via which the liquid may enter the overflow container when the maximum filling level of the collection area is reached.
Since in addition to the collection area an overflow container is provided on the filter unit, the size of the collection area may be kept smaller. The overflow container may then be used in situations in which a large quantity of liquids enter the combined device. This is the case, for example, when liquid is spilled onto the cooking surface or when liquids boil over.
This additional overflow container for liquids is advantageous, in particular, in the arrangement of the fan according to the invention which is aligned with the recess. Without the provision of an overflow container, in this preferred embodiment of the combined device, liquids could otherwise enter the fan or enter a base of the combined device, from where these liquids are only able to be removed with difficulty.
The overflow container is preferably arranged above the fan housing. A central opening which is preferably aligned with the air inlet opening of the fan housing is provided in the overflow container. The overflow container may, therefore, be formed around the air inlet opening. However, it is also possible that the overflow container is arranged adjacent to the fan housing.
The cooking surface and the fume extractor according to the invention may be fastened indirectly or directly to one another. With a direct fastening, for example, the side of the fan of the fume extractor in which the air inlet opening is provided may be fastened to the cooking surface, for example to the lower face of a cooking surface housing.
An indirect fastening of the cooking surface and the fume extractor may be implemented, for example, by an appliance housing. In this embodiment, the cooking surface and the fume extractor may be received in a common appliance housing. In this case, the appliance housing may have, in particular, a trough shape. At the top the appliance housing is closed by the cooking surface and, if provided, in particular closed by the cover plate of the cooking surface. According to the invention, the cover plate may be a glass ceramic plate. An air outlet is additionally incorporated in the appliance housing. The air outlet may be provided, for example, on the rear face of the appliance housing. Alternatively, however, it is also possible that the air outlet is incorporated on one of the side walls of the appliance housing or is incorporated in the base of the appliance housing. Preferably at least the fume extractor of the combined device is fastened in the appliance housing. The cooking surface may be incorporated either from above into the appliance housing and, for example, bear with the cover plate against the upper edge of the walls of the appliance housing. Alternatively or additionally, however, the heating elements of the cooking surface, for example, may also be fastened or held on the inner face of the appliance housing.
Since in the combined device the fume extractor and the cooking surface are connected together indirectly or directly, both the assembly and the mounting of the combined device is simplified. During the assembly, with the provision of an appliance housing, the relative position between the components of the fume extractor and the cooking surface is already predetermined. Thus, for example, the alignment of the recess with the fan may be ensured. During mounting, in particular when introduced into a work surface, the components of the fume extractor and the cooking surface incorporated in the appliance housing or the fume extractor and the cooking surface fastened together, may be incorporated in one mounting step in a working surface or a different surface. If the cover plate constitutes a component of the cooking surface which is separate from the heating elements, this cover plate may be optionally positioned retrospectively.
According to a preferred embodiment, the cooking surface and the fume extractor of the combined device have a common electrical power connection. This power connection may be provided, for example, on the appliance housing and may supply power to the electrical components of the fume extractor and the cooking surface. Moreover, the activation of the components of the fume extractor and of the cooking surface may also be implemented by a common control device. For example, in this case the fume extractor may be actuated depending on the operating state of the cooking surface.
According to one embodiment, the fume extractor and the cooking surface are received in a common appliance housing and the fan of the fume extractor is fastened to the base of the appliance housing. In this case, in particular, the side of the fan housing which is located opposite the air inlet opening is fastened to the base of the appliance housing. This embodiment has the advantage that the fan may be securely held on the base of the appliance housing. Additionally, in this embodiment the assembly of the combined device is further simplified. In particular, for example, the fan may be fastened to the base of the appliance housing before the cooking surface is incorporated in the appliance housing. The base in this state is still freely accessible and the assembly is thus simplified. In the alternative embodiment in which the combined device does not have a common housing for the fume extractor and the cooking surface, the assembly may also be implemented such that the fan and, in particular, the fan housing are fastened to the cooking surface from underneath, i.e. from the side of the cooking surface which opposes the cover plate.
The fan of the fume extractor of the combined device according to the invention is preferably constituted by a radial fan.